Article about ICC from the magazine "Britian In Hong Kong", Vol 21,Nov 2006
The latter stages of the Union Square
Project, under construction since 2000,
have been quietly taking shape in the newly
reclaimed corner of West Kowloon. The project
is set to expand into the public field of vision in
the next year as further developments are
completed and the "king-in-waiting" of the
Hong Kong skyline, the International
Commerce Centre (ICC), continues to grow
skyward day by day. When completed, Union
Square will transform the city's skyline with
state-of-the-art office towers, exclusive hotels,
a concept-designed shopping mall, and
sought-after apartments.
The first residential packages, namely The
Waterfront, The HarbourSide, Sorrento and
The Arch are nearing completion. Occupants
have been moving in and the developments
are beginning to demand wider attention. A
penthouse suite at The Arch recently sold for
a record HKD31,500 per sq ft. However, it is
the jewel in the crown of the multi-billion
dollar project, the ICC presently consisting
of foundation work and two impressive lift
shafts that when complete will hopefully start
to turn heads.
The 118-floor commercial tower, designed to stand at 490m tall as the third tallest in the
world and 60 metres above Two IFC, will house nearly 2.5 million sq ft of office and retail
space. The first two phases of the tower will compose of one and a half million sq ft of office
space with leasing occurring in stages from next year, and phase three, featuring a premium
5-star Ritz Carlton hotel, luxury serviced apartments and observation decks that will provide
the finishing touches to the sky scraper in 2010.
Getting Higher
With Taipei 101, currently the world's tallest building at 508m, the Jin Mao Tower and the
Shanghai World Financial Centre (to be completed in 2008), the region plays host to some
of the very tallest constructions on earth, and indeed has been pivotal in the resumption of
a race to build the loftiest man-made structure.
It was back in 1930's New York with the likes of the Empire State Building and Chrysler
Building that the world last saw such competitive skyscraper construction, and New York
will push the bar a little higher still with the Freedom Tower, on top of the former World Trade
Center ground zero, scheduled for completion in 2011 with a height of 541m.
It seems that the ICC tower will be Hong Kong's tallest competitor in the vertical race for the
foreseeable future. Government regulations in Hong Kong restrict the height of new buildings
in accordance with ridgelines atop of the Peak and Lion Rock, to ensure visual access to the
natural peaks.
For this reason, an original proposal for a 574m pyramid structure at the West Kowloon site
was scrapped, and Hong Kong's lofty sky scraping ambitions were cut down a size or two.
Nevertheless, although it might not come as a shock to many, Hong Kong ranked first
out of all the major cities in the world in a list ranking cities by the visual impact of their
skyline, according to the Emporis Buildings Skyline Index. Furthermore, with the
completion of the prominent Two IFC last year and the emergent ICC, it seems the
stakes have been raised for skyscraper building in Hong Kong, both in terms of height
and standards.
SHKP's Landmark Development
Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), who co-constructed the IFC towers, are also responsible
for the completion of the ICC as well as adjacent Union Square Towers, Elements Shopping
Mall and some of the residences in the West Kowloon site. Mr. Lo King Wai, Deputy
General Manager of leasing for SHKP, outlined his company's vision for the project in a
recent interview.
"The IFC and ICC will create a gateway for Hong Kong, into Victoria Harbour, providing a
fresh dimension for the city's skyline in the 21st century. When you think of iconic Hong
Kong buildings you would immediately think of buildings on the island side. The ICC is set to
change that."
The sleek, sophisticated design of the ICC tower, conceived by Kohn Pederson and Fox
Architects will create a new icon for the Hong Kong skyline, this time across the water on the
Kowloon Peninsula.
The design features walls that peel away at the base, creating an
impression of a plant emerging from the ground, and re-entrant corners that taper away at
the top, producing a graceful profile against the sky.
Beneath the skyline, the Union Square development will become a provider of ultra-modern
office facilities, as well as luxury, concept apartments in contemporary styles. The 14 hectare
site will contain premium apartments in adjacent residences, two luxury hotels, an exclusive
al fresco dining area called The Podium, and outdoor spaces creating an all-inclusive, onsite
living and working experience.
"This will be a way of life found nowhere else in Hong Kong. You could leave your luxury
suite in the Union Square residences, walk across a beautifully sculptured open park and be
at your office in the ICC in just a couple of minutes, and in the evening you will dine at the
stylish open air restaurants in the complex."
Mr. Lo emphasised the fact that the development of
these facilities was in tune with continued market
demand for Grade-A office space and a premium
lifestyle experience. This is particularly pertinent to
Kowloon, with a higher concentration of older
buildings, identified as having great potential for topend
workplace facilities at cheaper rates than Central.
"There are very few sites for businesses to expand or relocate to in and around Central, especially
for financial institutions and I.T companies who require state-of-the-art office space. The ICC,
with optimum usage of floor space and emergency back-up power systems, among other
features, will be particularly suited to the needs of these firms", elaborated Mr. Lo.
For the cramped residents of Central's CBD, having to expand further and further westwards
to find available sites, a glance across the harbour might provide a better solution. Competitive
leasing rates in the ICC, estimated to be up to a third cheaper than other prime locations in
Central and neighbouring Tsim Sha Tsui, will provide the basis from which to attract
businesses both cross-water and from further a field. A proximity to mainland transport
links, a separate power-grid and high-tech, spacious units intended for financial and
technology firms will also be pulling points.
SHKP have not long begun sourcing prospective occupants, and only recently launched
the marketing drive for the International Commerce Centre. However, the response has
been extremely positive according to Mr. Lo, who reveals his firm have been "talking to a
number of British companies from I.T and financial sectors both here in Hong Kong and
in Britain."
Transport Links and Mainland Firms
Mr. Lo was keen to mention ambitious government plans for extending the transport network
from Kowloon Station, in the heart of the Union Square project site, by that creating a new
transport hub for the city.
The East and West KCR lines will be linked via the KCR Southern
and Northern Links, with the interchange to be located at Kowloon Station. It is also a
proposed site for the West Kowloon Terminus, providing an hour's trip rail link to Guangzhou
by 2012. All these place West Kowloon and the ICC in an enviable position at the new heart
of the Hong Kong transport network.
The number of mainland companies listed in Hong Kong grew by 44% between 2000 and
2005, and SHKP stresses that the ICC will provide an appropriate platform for showcasing
their businesses to the rest of the world. Similarly, Hong Kong companies with links to the
mainland will favour the location for its premier transport channels.
Kowloon vs. Central
The heartland of Kowloon economic activity has darted around the peninsula during
various phases of urban development, from the golden mile along Nathan Road in the
1970s, Tsim Sha Tsui East in the 1980s and to Harbour City along Canton Road in the
1990s. The ICC and the Union Square project may be set to take things one step further
by challenging the dominance of Central as the prime business and financial location in
Hong Kong.
SHKP themselves envisage the 118-storey landmark and the surrounding developments of
Union Square transforming the area into a thriving business district. Even government
directives for West Kowloon foresee the economic growth of the area:
"The southern tip of West Kowloon Reclamation and the Tsim Sha Tsui area will emerge as
a new major high-rise node, and government studies have suggested that no additional
high-rise nodes should be designated outside this area." (Source: Urban Design Guidelines
for Megatowers, 2003)
Mr. Lo likens the nature and the predicted effect of the Union Square developments in
Kowloon to Canary Wharf in London, and indeed this is a pertinent comparison. From the
proximity of docklands, a complete image transformation resulting in cutting-edge business
complexes dominated by financial services, and a direct challenge to the primacy of the City
of London, the particulars read like a blueprint for the future of West Kowloon.
Initial developments in Canary Wharf have sparked on-going construction and the economic
growth of the surrounding area in more recent years.
Likewise, already a host of major upcoming developments located around Kowloon seem to
hold fast the promise of rapid growth for the peninsula. These include a proposed extension to
Harbour City called Gateway III, including a 450m skyscraper, the proposed 88-storey Kwun
Tong Tower and The Panorama Hotel, which already dominates the skyline around TST East
and is due for completion next year. In addition, renovations of the Kai Tak site and the West
Kowloon Cultural District have the potential to transform the fundamental image and function
of the Kowloon area, at the same time as luring tourists, punters and businesses alike.
Not only does Kowloon's skyline seem set to climb, the area is likely to see an upsurge
economically. To what extent it can attract business form the other side of the water and
compete with the traditional CBD on Hong Kong Island remains to be seen.
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